Chapter Text
During lunch, like every other part of the school, Yoba Academy was filled with excited chatter. They filled the cafeteria with different sounds of conversations. Some were lively, some were relaxed, others just stayed silent. The cacophony of sounds were familiar to every Yoba student. Everything was the same.
All except for one table.
Yuka glanced over the three empty seats around her. Everyone else’s tables were almost full, except for Yuka’s. She sighed, scrolling through her phone aimlessly. She just finished her lunch, but she had one container in her bento box left untouched. It was curry she would want to eat, but Yuka told herself not to until Esora had a taste.
There was a tap on her shoulder, making Yuka look up. It was Rinku holding a juice box.
“Ah, Rinku-chan!” Yuka kept her phone, stuffing it back in her pocket. “What’s up?”
Rinku looked around the empty table, making Yuka release a chuckle. “Do you want to sit with us today, Yuka-chan? You look pretty lonely here.”
Yuka looked around, her phone, then her bento. She bit down a sigh. “Sure!” She kept her bento, pathetically wrapping it with the cloth she had; the designs were little frogs and purple hydrangeas on a blue cloth. She carried her bags before following behind Rinku. There weren't any signs of Esora coming back soon.
Rinku dragged her to the outside part of the cafeteria, where a few students went and ate. Some of said students were Happy Around. Maybe Peaky should eat outside sometimes, they stopped after the bird incident in middle school. There was an empty seat, which Yuka found odd, but went to sit on it anyways.
Muni was the first to complain. “Rinku, what’s Yuka doing here?”
“She looked so lonely inside! So I invited her to sit with us for today!” The shorter blonde took her own seat, taking out an onigiri from her bento box. Yuka was seated beside Maho, who was looking at her with a nervous air. Yuka wasn’t even in the mood to recommend her to go to the gym today.
Muni pouted. “How come you were alone? I thought Shinobu Inuyose would be here today with Kyoko…”
“Ahh, those two got sick yesterday, so they’re not here.” Those two just had to stay up, not only that, but not properly take care of themselves as they did. Especially on Shinobu’s end. Yuka sighed, looking over her bags. She had her camera with her today, maybe a few photos would boost her mood. She zipped open her camera bag, taking it out. “They caught the other’s sickness, so… yeah.”
Maho sucked her teeth. “That sounds bad… Wait, what about Esora-san? Where is she?”
“Esora? Oh, she’s busy with the design class. Lunch time is the only time her group can work together efficiently other than class time, so she’s taking every chance she gets so the project can finish quickly.” Yuka powered on her camera, hearing the familiar beep. She smiled, pointing the camera at the sky. Ah, the clouds weren’t helping her mood at all. “Uh, she’s been doing it ever since Monday, so…” Maybe she could take pictures of the students walking around inside.
Rinku gasped, almost spilling some of her onigiri in the process. “Rei-chan is too! She’s been working with the music class because lunch was the only time they could all work together!”
“Rinku, didn’t Rei say something about the design class and the music class working together for a project?” Maho said, causing Muni to pout. It was similar to Shinobu’s, but Yuka didn’t say anything; that might fuel the flames of their hatred even more. She decided to keep her mouth shut.
The vocalist nodded, her cheeks filled to the brim with onigiri. She swallowed before speaking, thankfully. “Mhm! Mhm!”
“Ahh, so that’s why Rei-chan isn’t here…” Yuka couldn’t remember what Esora said, but from her fuzzy memory, what Maho said was right. Those two must be working together on the project. Yuka felt her stomach churn, but she shook it off. The glint at the corner of the building looked like a nice subject for a photo.
Maho went to drink from her water bottle before asking, “Yuka, since me and Rinku are in the regular course, I was just wondering, is it normal for the classes to work together on projects and stuff?”
“Hm? Oh, yeah, it is!” Yuka placed her camera on the table. “The classes that usually collaborate are the music class and the vocal class while the video class goes with the design class. Especially video and design, haha.”
Muni sighed, adding in, “Unlike Media and Arts, we usually work with the Performing Arts class.” The VJ nibbled on a piece of her chips. “They’re… interesting.”
“I didn’t know the classes did that…” Maho muttered, she fidgeted with her sleeve, her lunch already gone. Muni continued eating her chips.
Yuka looked over her bag again, she didn’t know where else to look. “They don’t do it all the time, but the teachers like giving us a breath of fresh air by working with other people.” She laughed. “I always work with Esora and extra people, which intimidates a lot, I think.”
“I mean, they are working with two members of Peaky P-key…” Maho muttered, seemingly out of experience. “I wouldn’t blame them for feeling intimidated.”
The taller blonde took out her bento box, sighing. “True, I have a habit of just talking to Esora whenever we do those types of group work.”
Maho’s eyes widened at the bento box. “Oh, Yuka, you brought a bento box?”
“Huh? Oh, yeah.” Yuka chuckled. “I-I made it myself, but I finished most of it when I was inside.”
Rinku sniffed the air, it looked similar to a dog. Hanzo, maybe. Or Vevo. Maybe Tiara too. “Oh! Yuka-chan, what’s inside?” The VJ felt an urge to keep her bento away. She kept her hands still, however.
“Rinku, c’mon, that’s Yuka’s food.” Muni nagged, she put a hand on Rinku just in case. “You have your onigiri to finish.” Maho had her mouth open, but she went to shut it. It seemed she wanted to say the same thing.
The vocalist whined, but she went to eat another one of her onigiri, reigniting that smile of hers. Just how many of those does she have? Yuka focused back on her curry, picking up her utensils. She might as well eat it, Lunch was almost over and Esora didn’t send a text of her coming back yet. The meat and curry roux was cold, it didn’t help that the rice was too. She swallowed, only to sigh.
Yuka looked at the table. She took a bite before she spoke. “So, how long has Rei-chan been busy at lunch?” Silence during lunch was a little odd to Yuka; she would usually hear Shinobu playing games on her phone while Kyoko talked to her.
“Oh, same time as Esora-san.” Maho replied, fidgeting with her sleeves. “Ever since Monday.”
“I see.” Yuka looked back at the curry, taking another bite.
Muni released a sigh. “Just seeing that curry’s making me miss Rei…”
“I know~! If she was here, Rei-chan would want to eat some instant curry!” Rinku deflated into the table, taking a sad bite from her onigiri. “I hope she comes back soon!”
“She’s just doing a group project, she’ll be back when it finishes.” Maho assured, chuckling a little to herself.
Yuka laughed, taking a few more bites. It wasn’t bad hanging around with the other units. But she would still rather spend time with Peaky. They were her friends first. Esora even more so with the fact she hasn’t seen her face longer. She walked home with her, but it wasn't enough. She called in the evening, but it didn't count. Yuka wanted Esora to be physically by her side. It didn’t help that one of the people taking up that time was Rei. She was fine with Rei now, but there were some parts that still lingered.
The blonde eventually went to keep her bento back in the cloth, finishing what she made for Esora. She sighed, putting her camera around her neck; she was too lazy to keep it in its bag. “Well, I’ll go to my next class. Thank you for letting me eat with you guys!”
“It’s alright for you to eat with us, Yuka-chan!” Rinku assured, smiling at her. “We don’t want you to be lonely! Just until you have someone to eat with!”
“Rinku’s right, it’s not good eating by yourself.” Maho added, showing a more reserved smile. “I’m sure Muni wouldn’t mind, right, Muni?”
Everyone turned to the shorter VJ, who turned a hint of pink. “Wh– fine! I guess you can eat with us… but when Shinobu Inuyose comes back, you have to go back to your usual spot!”
“Alrighty!” Yuka chuckled, standing up from her seat. “Thank you again, really. I’ll see you later!”
They said their goodbyes as Yuka walked away, entering back into the cafeteria. She released a sigh. The project should finish up soon. She made her way to her last class, which was close to some of the design classes. Lunch wasn’t over yet, but Yuka couldn’t help but rush her legs. Her heart was starting to race.
She stopped when she noticed a familiar face. Yuka could feel something tugging at the ends of her mouth, she couldn’t stop the smile on her face. It was a face she wanted to see for the past couple of hours. Even though Rei was standing right beside her and a few others, she didn’t care. She walked slowly, trying not to look too excited.
“Yuka?” Esora exclaimed, she was in the middle of talking to one of the other girls in her group. Rei looked surprised as well.
Yuka held down the grin she had. She couldn’t look too happy to see her. “Ahah, hello! Uh, my last class is here, so…”
“Oh! I just remembered.” Esora walked toward her, placing a hand on her arm. “I’m sorry for not being able to meet up with you at lunch time. What did you want to show me?”
Yuka felt her heart drop. Her stomach was guilty. She hid the bento box from Esora’s eyes. “Oh, that? I-it was nothing.”
“Really?” Esora pressed her eyebrows together. Yuka wanted to admit it right then and there, but she couldn’t with an audience. Especially because they were the cause for her not giving it.
“Yep! I can make it again anyway, it’s fine.” Yuka laughed. She looked over the group again, who decided to walk ahead. Rei went toward them.
“Now you got me curious. What did you make for me?”
“Secret!” Yuka zipped her mouth just as the bell rang. “I guess you two should go to your next classes.”
“Oh, yeah.” Esora looked as though she wanted to tease back. She turned to Rei. “Let’s go, Rei-san. Our classes are nearby, right?”
Rei raised an eyebrow. “I thought your class was the opposite direction from my class, Esora-san.”
“Huh?! Really?” Esora groaned. “I need to hurry!” Esora started speed walking, toward where her next class was. Before she turned the corner, she looked toward Yuka and said, “Yuka~! I’ll meet you after school, okay?!”
Yuka smiled. “Okay!”
Esora showed her another one in return before continuing her way to her class. Yuka turned to where Rei was, who looked almost zoned out; similar to when Kyoko was deep in thought.
“Aren’t you going to your next class, Rei-chan?” Yuka pointed out.
Rei blinked twice before she flushed. “A-ah, you’re right, Yuka-san! I’ll get going now.” The pianist turned, taking quick steps to her class that seemed to be a few lunges away.
Yuka giggled before she turned away, walking to where her class was.
She could still walk home with Esora and have their afterschool call.